Puhl. 24. IV. 1914. CIDARIA. Hy L. B. Prout. 217 



C. obeliscata Hhn. (8h). cf with the group of spines on the aedeagus differing from that of variata cf. oheliscata. 

 Forewing reddish brown or fulvous, the distal edge of the median band not strongly indented, or with only 

 one deep indentation (on the fold); pale subtei-minal line commonly obsolete, or if present, not strongly den- 

 tate. Hindwing ratlier more glossy and brownish than that of variata, the discal dot generally altogether 

 obsolete on the upperside, though expressed beneath. — ab. tristrigaria Donov. is an infrequent aberration with trislrigaria. 

 3 unusually well developed, elongate interneural submarginal streaks between the .5"^ subcostal and ?j'^ radial 

 veins. — ab. mediolucens Rossi, is a rather striking form in which the ground-colour is appreciably darkened wec^ioZwcews. 

 while the median band remains fulvous, thus appearing lighter, or at least brighter, than the adjoining areas. — 

 ab. obliterata B. White (= scotica Stgr) (8h. as scotica) is almost unicolorous brown-black or black-brown. oUiterata. 

 Britain and occasionally in the mountains of Central Italy. — Larva of moderate thickness, nearly cylindrical, 

 tapering towards the anal end, which bears 2 minute, well separated points; head green, mouth-parts red; 

 legs red; claspers green; body green, in longitudinal stripes, assimilating well to pine-needles; subdorsal, lateral 

 and ventral lines yellow. Feeds chiefly on Pinus sylvestris. It hibernates and is full fed in May and there 

 is a partial second brood later in the summer. Pupa rather slender, olive-green, dorsally and ventrally with 

 several yellow or whitish longitudinal lines, anal point red; spun by a few threads among pine-needles; very 

 active. The moth inhabits pine-woods, or even very small plantations. Abundant in many parts of Northern 

 and Central Europe, also recorded from Castile and Transcaucasia. 



C. variolata Stgr. (8h) from Algeria, scarcely seems to differ except in its smaller size and in that variolata. 

 the central band is generally straighter-edged proximally; hindwing perhaps more weakly marked. Staudinger 

 thinks the palpus is shorter and the anteimal ciliation more minute; the former observation is perhaps correct 

 the ciliation does not differ. 



C. exangulata Warr. (81). Shape of variata or with the distal margin of the forewing slightly more exangidata. 

 oblique. Easily known by the shape and position of the dark median band. Forewing beneath marked more 

 weakly than above, hindwing more strongly, showing a conspicuous discal dot. Inhabits the mountains of 

 Kashmir in June. 



C. expiata Piing. is possibly also related to variata but the forewing is more acute, the distal margin expiaia. 

 straight, not curved, the ground-colour even lighter than in ab. nigrofasciafa and ab. stragulata, white with 

 only a slight yellow-brown tinge, the basal and central areas narrow, little -darkened except at their edges 

 (especially at costa), the latter area dark-marked on the 2"'' median and the submedian veins. No dark apical 

 dash. Distal area, hindwing and under surface quite weakly marked, both wings with small discal dot above 

 and beneath, cf antenna minutely ciliated. Turkestan: Aksu. 



C. cognata Thnh. (= simulata Hhn., coniferata Curt) (8i) is easily distinguished from variata by its cognata. 

 strong purple-brown or red-brown gloss. Hindwing a little more glossy than in oheliscata. A very local 

 species, belonging almost exclusively to the North of Europe and to the Alps and Pyrenees. The typical 

 northern form is rather small and in general dark reddish. — geneata Feisth., the prevailing form in the geneaia. 

 Alps and in Transcaucasia, perhaps also in the Pyrenees, is larger, somewhat paler and with a less definite 

 red tinge, the ground-colour being somewhat mixed with violet or purplish. — ab. perversa Hirschke is an perversa. 

 aberration of geneata, from the Franzenshohe, in which the basal and median areas of the forewing, instead 

 of being darker than the ground colour of the wings, are lighter. — The egg hibernates. Larva stout, smooth^ 

 head rounded, rather large, brown, body green with bluish dorsal stripe and white subdorsal and lateral 

 stripes, the latter often edged above with dark red; legs red; claspers green; anal points minute. It feeds on 

 juniper from April to June. Pupa dark green, with spiracles and cremaster brown. Imago in July and August. 



C. postalbida Wileman is somewhat larger and broader-winged than most of the group (about as a postalUda. 

 ■large firmata), the ground-colour of the forewing reddish brown, about as in cognata, the basal and median 

 areas more fuscous, bounded by fine whitish lines; basal patch almost rectangularly edged, the angle, as usual, 

 in the cell; median band rather variable in width, its proximal edge arising at beyond one-third of costal 

 margin, angled on median vein near end of cell, then forming a single curve, reaching the hindmargin at about 

 two-thirds; discal mark black, somewhat elongate; postmedian line from nearly two-thirds costa, forming a 

 blunt projection about the 2"'' and 3"^ radials, then retracted and reaching hindmargin scarcely 2 mm from 

 antemedian; a black dot on hindmargin at end of basal patch, closely followed by a black line which extends 

 along the margin as far as the antemedian; subterminal line bluish white; anterior veins blackened between 

 subterminal and termen, accompanied by some scattered bluish-white scales. Hindwing dirty white, with dark 

 grey discal dot. Forewing beneath very feebly marked, hindwing with the discal dot blacker. Japan: Hako- 

 date to Yamato, April— May, July and October — November. I have also a 9 from Wenchow, kindly presented 

 by Mr. C. T. Bowring. 



IV 28 



